Hinduism—An Overview

Hinduism Hinduism is the predominant religion of India. Earliest references to it go back about five thousand years. It grew out of tribal religions in the area. The rituals of these involved sacrifices of various sorts including human killings. As a reaction to this perceived brutality, it is probable that it took many ideas from Jainism, which was already in existence and was uncompromisingly non-violent. For instance, Jains are not only vegetarians but refrain from eating root vegetables (potatoes, onions carrots and so on) because they are perceived to be living; furthermore to avoid inadvertently swallowing insects while breathing they wear a mask over their mouths. If one wants to sample Jain cuisine, one would have to find a restaurant which offers ‘Rajastani’ food. I’ve not located one in Australia.

Core Beliefs
At the core of the religion is belief in Brahman the Universal life force which encompasses all phases of existence. The highest aim is to understand one’s true position in the hierarchy and progress towards attaining Moksha – Liberation from the karmic cycle of death and reincarnation. The hierarchy has four positions or Castes. The highest caste is – Brahmins or priests. The next Caste is composed of Nobles and Warriors. Below them stand the Commoners, and at the Lowest, are the Servants who used to handle human bodily discharges. On account of the unsavoury nature of this task, essential as it was for society, these workers were shunned by society and labeled ‘untouchables’. Reformers, led by Mohandas Gandhi, better known by the title ‘Mahatma’ sympathized with their plight and to invest them with some dignity, renamed them ‘children of God’. The present title is ‘Dalits’. Out of recognition of the fact that these people are disadvantaged, the government, as a form of affirmative action, has reserved certain jobs for them, with the idea that the caste system itself fade out. But politicians will have none of that and have identified them as a constituency and appointed themselves as their leaders to constantly broaden the scope of reservations.

Hitherto, ones normal way of initial entry into a caste was by birth, and through reincarnation, depending on one’s devotion, one might progress upwards or downwards. For instance one might be rewarded for a virtuous life by being reincarnated into a higher caste, whereas as a sinful existence may merit a demotion a lower caste. The people within the caste are segregated on the basis of their professions or trades, with each of these divisions, choosing its own deity. Even prostitutes have their own deity, That deity would be enshrined in a place in the house and be offered ‘puja’ for invoking its blessings. And food would only be consumed after it has been offered to the deity.

The liturgy consists of two parts: The Vedas and the Upanishads.
The Vedas might be likened to the Christian Commandments, which were handed to Moses. The Vedas same down in the form of hymns which are chanted and relate to all forms of behavior including wellness. They are full of apparent contradictions with the balance being maintained by the practice of ayurveda, The main deity itself is a Trinity with three faces: The Creator; The Preserver and The Destroyer
The Upanishads are theological texts written in Sanskrit. They are subject of discourses delivered by Gurus. (Hindu preachers)

Comment
When viewed from a Social angle, the Caste System may be seen as despicable and, but for politicians would probably have died out by now. But let us not forget that in its early years it co-existed with early Greek and Roman cultures which regarded the practice of slavery as an inevitable part of civilized living. Slavery has never existed in India. Many religions are offshoots of Hinduism. One of the more notable is Buddhism, which came into being as a result of meditations by a born Hindu, Gautama Buddha in about 300 BCE.